The Ferrari 250 is a series of sports cars built by Ferrari from the 1950s and early 1960s. It was the company's most successful early line of vehicles, produced for over a decade from 1953 to 1964 and resulting in several variants. The 250 was replaced by the 275 and the 330. The most celebrated 250 is the 1962 250 GTO, a true supercar that spawned numerous imitators
Similarities
Most 250 road cars share the same two wheelbases, 2400 mm (94.5 in) for short wheelbase (SWB) and 2600 mm (102.4 in) for long wheelbase (LWB). Most convertibles used the SWB type.
Nearly all 250s share the same engine: The Colombo Tipo 125 V12. At 3 L (2953 cc), it is not a large engine even for the time, but its light weight and impressive output (up to 280 hp) made a big difference. The Ferrari V12 weighed hundreds of pounds less than its chief competitors — for example, it was nearly half the weight of the Jaguar XK straight-6.[1] The light V12 propelled the small Ferrari 250 racing cars to victory after victory.
Racing models
Typical of Ferrari, the Colombo V12 made its debut on the race track, with the racing 250s preceding the street cars by three years.
225 S
A predecessor to the 250 line was the 225 S introduced at the 1952 Giro di Sicilia. Two of the two-seat sports prototypes were built, an open barchetta and closed coupe both by Vignale. Seven 225 S cars were entered at the Mille Miglia, but these were overshadowed by their larger-engined 250 S brother. Although not as heralded as the 250 line, the 225 did play one unique historical role: A 225 S tested at Imola was the first Ferrari to drive on that course.
250 S
The first of the 250 line was the experimental 250 S berlinetta prototype entered in the 1952 Mille Miglia. The company's newest product was entrusted to Giovanni Bracco and Alfonso Rolfo and was severely tested by the Mercedes-Benz 300SL racers run by Rudolf Caracciola, Hermann Lang, and Karl Kling. The little 230 hp (171 kW) Ferrari was outgunned in the long straights but fought back in the hills and curves and Bracco emerged victorious at the end. This same car was later entered at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericana.
The little 250 S used a 2250 mm (88.6 in) wheelbase with a "Tuboscocca" tubular trellis frame. Underneath were double wishbones at the front and a live axle located with double longitudinal semi-elliptic springs at the rear. Drum brakes and worm and sector steering were the norm. The dry-sump 3.0 L (2953 cc/180 in³) engine used three Weber 36DCF carburettors and was mated directly to a five-speed manual transmission.
250 MM
Lauding the success of the 250 S at the Mille Miglia, Ferrari showed a more-conventional chassis for the new 250 engine at the 1952 Paris Motor Show. Pinin Farina clothed this chassis, with the celebratory 250 MM coupe launched at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show. This car was almost plain by contemporary standards, but it possessed a certain purposefulness with its small grille and compact tail complete with a panoramic rear window. Carrozzeria Vignale's open barchetta also broke new styling ground, with recessed headlights and side vents becoming a staple of Ferrari design for the 1950s.
The 250 MM's wheelbase was longer than the 250 S at 2420 mm (95 in), with the saloon 50 kg (110 lb) heavier than the 850 kg (1875 lb) barchetta on a conventional tube frame. The V12 engine's dry sump was abandoned for the production car, and the transmission lost one cog as well, but power was up to 240 hp (179 kW).
Like the 250 S, the 250 MM was a racing car, debuting at the Giro di Sicilia with privateer Paulo Marzotto. A Carrozzeria Morelli-bodied 250 MM barchetta won the 1954 Mille Miglia with driver Clemente Biondetti, living up to its name. The V12-powered 250 MM was replaced by the four-cylinder 625 TF and 735 S later in 1953.
The 250 mm (9.8 in)'s wheelbase was longer than the 250 S at 2420 mm (95 in), with the saloon 50 kg (110 lb) heavier than the 850 kg (1875 lb) barchetta on a conventional tube frame. The V12 engine's dry sump was abandoned for the production car, and the transmission lost one cog as well, but power was up to 240 hp (179 kW).
Like the 250 S, the 250 mm (9.8 in) was a racing car, debuting at the Giro di Sicilia with privateer Paulo Marzotto. A Carrozzeria Morelli-bodied 250 mm (9.8 in) barchetta won the 1954 Mille Miglia with driver Clemente Biondetti, living up to its name. The V12-powered 250 mm (9.8 in) was replaced by the four-cylinder 625 TF and 735 S later in 1953.
250 Monza
An unusual hybrid between the light four-cylinder 750 Monza and the 250 line was the 250 Monza of 1954. It used the short wheelbase chassis from the 750 Monza and the first two shared the Pinin Farina barchetta shape of the 750 Monza and a one-off 500 Mondial. Two more 250 Monzas were built by Carrozzeria Scaglietti, an early use of the now-familiar coachbuilder. Although a frequent entrant through 1956, the 250 Monzas failed to gain much success and the union of the Monza chassis and 250 engine was not pursued beyond this model.
250 Testa Rossa
The racing 250 Testa Rossa was one of the most successful Ferrari racing cars in its history.
250 GTO
Perhaps the most famous 250 of all was the 250 GTO, often called the first supercar. A radically-restyled GTO, properly the 250 GTO/64, was launched in 1964, but just 39 were built.
250 P
The 250 engine from the Testa Rossa was mounted in the midships position for the 250 P prototype racer of 1963.
250 LM
The mid-engined 250 Le Mans looked every bit the prototype racer but was intended to eventually be produced as a road-going GT. Descended from the 250 P, the Le Mans also appeared in 1963 and sported Pininfarina bodywork. Ferrari were unable to persude the FIA to homologate the car for GT racing, as nowhere near the required 100 examples were built. As a result, Ferrari withdrew from factory participation in the GT class of the 1965 World Sportscar Championship, leaving the way clear for the Shelby Cobra team to dominate the series.
250 Export/Europa
The 1953 250 Export and Europa were the only of the family to use a different engine. They shared the 2963 cc Lampredi V12 designed for Formula 1 use.
250 Export
The Export model was similar to the 250MM with its 2400 mm (94.5 in) wheelbase. One exception was its 220 hp (164 kW) Lampredi engine. It was launched at the Paris Motor Show of 1953.
250 Europa
The 250 Europa, also introduced in Paris in 1953, looked entirely different. With the long 2800 mm (110.2 in) wheelbase and Ferrari America-style bodies, it was designed as more of a GT car than any previous 250. Both Pininfarina and Vignale handled the coachwork, with 21 produced in total.